Valve mechanism for flushing-tanks.



C. H. MUCKENHIRN. VALVE MECHANISM FOR FLUSHHJG TANKS.

APPLICATION FILED APR 11; 1916- Patented May 1, 1917.

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CHARLES H. MUCKENHIRN, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE STANDARD SANITARY MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, GOR- IORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

VALVE MECHANISM FOR FLUSHING-TANKS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 1, 1917.

Application filed April 11, 1916. Serial No. 90,400.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. MUCKEN- HIRN, citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Valve Mechanism for Flushing-Tanks, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

The invention relates to improvements in a flushing valve mechanism for closet tanks. It is an object of the invention to provide a flushing mechanism of this character wherein the valve controlling the flushing pipe connection is provided with a flat face, as distinguished from flexible ball valves which very soon become aflected by the water within the tank, and have to be frequently renewed.

A further object is the provision of an improved counterbalancing lever directly connected to the valve to insure a quick and positive actuation of the valve upon the movement of the lever.

Heretofore, so far as I am aware, it has never been proposed to couple a valve having a flat seating surface with a balanced actuating lever. Manifestly, many advantages are derived from this particular ar rangement of parts, as the flat seat at all times affords a positive non-leaking closure for the flushing pipe, while the balancing lever permits control of the valve as to 010- sure.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a construction wherein the arm carrying the weighted lever that is connected to the valve, is adjustably supported upon the overflow pipe, whereby the diflerent parts of the mechanism are arranged in close proximity-to each other so as to occupy little room within the tank, and the operating lever is capable of vertical adjustment whenever such an adjustment is desired.

The invention also embraces the use of adjustable guiding devices consisting of cooperating members carried by the flushing pipe and the valve to guide the valve toward and from its seat, and to insure the proper seating of the valve upon the flushing pipe to prevent any leakage of the water from the tank, and at all times prevent lateral movement thereof.

In the drawings Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section taken through the flushing tanks;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the counter valve lever. I

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like numerals indicate corresponding parts, figure 1, designates the flushing tank of any suitable construction having the ordinary water feeding instrumentalities leading thereto. Passing through one of the walls of the tank is a flushing pipe connection 2 that is coupled to a flushing pipe (not shown) in the usual manner. The connection 2 has a threaded portion 3 upon which the adjustable nut 4: carrying a washer is adapted to be mounted. The connection also carries a circumferential flange 5, which is adapted to rest upon the interior surface of one of the walls of the flushing tube, while the nut 4c is clamped upon the exterior surface of the said wall to provide a water tight connection between the box and the flushing pipe connection 2. The member 2 has an offset integral hollow extension 6 provided with a threaded opening 7 which communicates with the flushing pipe, the usual overflow pipe 8 being fitted to the extension 6 and projecting upwardly a substantial distancewithin the box.

The flushing pipe connection is closed by a buoyant bell-shaped metallic valve 9, having a relatively wide circumferential flange 10 provided with a flat surface upon which a packing 11 is seated by means of an adjustable screw nut 13 fitting the threaded portion of the valve 9. The valve when seated rests upon the upper edge of the flushing pipe connection, and when raised, as is'apparent, the water will rush through the flushing pipe under the valve, while the entrapped air in the hollow interior of the cup floats the same in a manner similar to that of a hollow rubber valve, and retains the valve above the seat until the proper amount of water has been released from the tank, at which time the valve will be promptly sucked or lowered on its seat. By counterbalancing the valve the valve is rendered substantially a free agent which will quickly respond to its requirements by a mechanism to be hereafter described. Disclosed within the hollow interior of the buoyant valve 9 is a relatively long guiding stem 14, which projects a substantial distance below the the cooperating guiding devices carried by the valve and coupling member, a proper seating of the valve is at all times insured and all lateral movement thereof during the raising and lowering of the same is entirely prevented.

Adjustablysupported upon the overflow pipe at its upper end is a curved arm 17 having a pipe embracing portion 18, which consists of a split portion in the arm, the adjacent ends thereof having outstanding flanges 19 receiving the adjustable screws 20 to retain the arm in its various positions of adjustment upon the overflow pipe. The arm 17 near its end, has a forked portion 20 and a seat 21, the fork portion 20 receiving between itsarms the lever 22 that is pivotally mounted thereon by the pivot pin 23, which passes through the arms of the fork portion 20, as well as the lever 22. At one end the lever 22 is connected to the valve by a link 24, while at its opposite end it carries an adjustably mounted weight 25. The weight 25 is suspended upon a pin having a threaded connection with the arm, and is retained in its adjusted position by the set nut 26. This outer end of the lever is enlarged and has. a downwardly extending stop 27 that contacts with the seat 21 when the lever is lowered, and serves to limit the downward movement of the weighted end of the lever to prevent the complete disengagement of the cooperating guiding devices carried by the valve and the flushing pipe coupling connection. To operate the valve the conventional type of operating lever 22 is employed, the same being shown as broken away, the lever having attached to one end the chain 23 which is in turn fastened to the outer end of the lever 22, and it is apparent that upon actuating the same the weighted portion of the lever will be lowered until the member 27 contacts with the seat 21, at which time the opposite portion of the lever will be raised, and the valve 9 lifted will float well above its seat to permit the free out-flow of the water from the tank through the flushing pipe. The counterbalancing lever serves, in conjunction with the entrapped air in the valve, to hold the valve elevated until the tank is practically emptied, and the valve following the receding water level will thereupon descend upon its seat.

The operation of the device may be briefly stated as follows: When it is desired to permit the flow of water from the tank through the flushing pipe, the lever 22 is actuated by the operating means, which in turn lifts the valve from its seat, the valve buoyed by the flotation chamber 9 will float free from its seat. WVhen the water has been discharged through the flushing pipe the valve descends with the water and when practically all of the water has been emptied the flotation factor will, by communication of the flotation chamber with the outer air, bring into play the gravity or excessive normal weight of the valve over the balancing member closing communication between the tank and the flushing pipe. The lever 22 counterbalances only when the valve 9 is raised from its seat, and the flotation chamber therein acts as such because of the air entrapped when water covers the bottom of the tank, and the valve.

With no water in the tank, the valve 9 is heavier than the lever 22, and. is constantly seated on the valve-rim.

I claim- The combination with a closet tank having a flushing pipe communicating therewith, of a buoyant valve having a flat seating surface spanning said flushing pipe connection for controlling the same, an operating lever having a counterbalancinlg weight thereon suspended in the tank above the water level, a link pivotally connected to said operating lever and to the valve to permit a lateral movement of the link relative to the valve upon the shifting thereof, and means for maintaining said valve in its proper vertical alinement with the seat during the raising and lowering thereof comprising a guiding member carried by the valve, and a part cooperating with said guiding member, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES H. MUCKENHIRN.

Witnesses:

C. W. ROLL, LLOYD MGCLURE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by-addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

